Why Do Mice Chew Through Electrical Wires?
Updated: Oct. 31, 2022
A ruined car electrical system is a massive headache.
Any car owner will worry about an electrical problem because of the hefty price tag an electric repair carries.
We’ve shown you how to fix an electrical short in your car or truck and even how to clean electrical ground cables as well as how to splice car electrical wires. You’ve also known that from time to time rodents will gnaw on electrical wires in cars but it’s becoming a bigger problem.
Why Are Rodents Chewing Car Wires?
It’s kind of a complicated answer but the short version goes like this: since some automakers have started using soy-based insulation for wiring there seems to be more incidents of rodents chewing through the insulation.
Toyota car owners filed a class action lawsuit in California back in 2016 because the car makers switched from using petroleum-based wire insulation to soy-based and wouldn’t cover the damages under warranty. A judge later dismissed the lawsuit and a similar lawsuit against Honda was also thrown out. The carmakers contended rodents are known to chew things and the damage was an environmental condition. The material the carmakers used wasn’t defective then and it was more of a case that rodents will chew on just about anything.
How to Keep Rodents Away
This is one easy way to keep rodents away or there are a number of products you can buy. And be sure never to ignore a pest problem, you could wind up like one of these homeowners:
